Tee hee hee

The ‘sleuth’ in the Times & Transcript is running another ‘rumour’ about Bernard Lord running in the next federal election. She says “There are some rumours that just refuse to die and Sleuth was hit again this week with one that has more lives than most cats.”

The reason it refuses to die is because the T&T keeps it going. No other media outlet is talking about it. The former Premier isn’t talking about it. I think Edith Robb and Al Hogan want their boy back on the scene and they figure if they talk about it enough, they might get their way.

Another LOL moment from the TJ is the PC energy critic’s comments:

Opposition MLA Bruce Northrup, energy critic for the provincial Progressive Conservatives, said the Tories are “a little bit happy” that the rate increase has been cut to 5.9 per cent.However, he noted “it’s still an increase.” “The government is putting the money in their pocket and not the good people of New Brunswick’s pockets.”

You will recall that in the early 1990s, New Brunswick was one of the lowest cost producers of electricity in Canada. Now, after the Tories and their great energy policies, we are now importing electricity from Quebec because it is cheaper that producing power at Colson Cove.

Someone serious told me we should just hand the keys to NB Power over to Hydro Quebec. It may be a good idea.

Finally, in the chuckle column, I find it absolutely fascinating that no media outlet picked up the story of the Nova Scotia Premier ringing the closing bell at the NYSE this week on Wall Street. We got literally 10 or more stories about Shawn Graham’s every move in Toronto – but nothing on a story that has 10 times the significance. Macdonald is only the second Canadian Premier in history to ring the bell and the NS delegation was in New York touting their growing financial services back office cluster.

Maybe I am the only one that finds that funny but I really do. Note to the NB media. If you aren’t reporting what others are doing, how will your readers be able to compare how we in New Brunswick are doing?

0 Responses to Tee hee hee

Regardless of political affiliation, New Brunswick needs politcians that get us face time in Ottawa.

We need to elect whoever has the best chance of getting our issues on the table. Whoever can help change the attitude about the crumbs of money we receive being ‘corporate welfare’ while Ontario and Quebec recieve massive support (not considered welfare)in the auto setors, aerospace etc.

I am not sure if Lord is this type of person but if he has the potential, then let’s push him to the front and get him to run. But frankly, it would be a better bet to promote McKenna.

If the NB government reached down and found a pair, they would privatize NB Power. A contract with service level agreements embedded including environmental targets could safeguard NB citizens to a greater extent than the current organization and the government would have a significant cash windfall…

They could shut-down Colson-Cove and others thermal generation stations first. Furthermore, in order to replace a share of that lost power Wind source could be used (to mainly insure jobs) and on. Therefore, HQ/NB governement to minimize job losses could draw wind turbines production (Marmen Corp.) by opening production plants in Beldune and somewhere else in Acadie peninsula.

HQ could guarantee that all the technician, customer service as well as office jobs could be safe except for executive’s current directorship positions that will be ship out to Montreal.

HQ/Gouvernement du Quebec could breack down economic and union barriers to insure to all NB workers as well as NB companies that they will be able to apply all bid tenders and construction jobs on the Hydro`s projects. The prices will be regulate by the NB Energy and Utilities Board.

That could be the best way for HQ to enhance his power portfolio by a second nuclear reactors as power sources something that activists always struggled in Quebec.

Win-Win either for Quebec and NB customers. Sorry for my english, I`m in the learning process.

Should New Brunswick be a financial partner in Churchill Falls 2 – and secure a long term agreement with Newfoundland for power?

That kind of deal could be downright hard to get. However, NB could force Quebec to get a agreement with NF as a condition to the privatisation. To me, Qc-NF agrement going to happen more quikly than you think.

I could see NB government being a financial partner in projects as Grande-Baleine/La Romaine as well as second nuclear power reactor. The nuclear power reactor cost would be share by HQ/NB and SNC-Lavalin. That will ensure the province to get substantial incomes.

How is it that New Brunswickers tend to to view ‘success’ as being mentioned in a footnote of some other province’s annual report such as HQ?

NBP is one of the few opportunities we have to show leadership and provide a competitive advantage for NB (similar to NB Tel before that disappeared). NBP already has significant influence with university research, drives our engineering firms to be globally competitive and challenges our construction firms to be world class.

Should we sell out to HG, you can bet that Quebec protectionism would wipe out all these successes and eliminate the opportunity to build on them.

We have to shake our defeatest attitudes and beleive in ourselves. Instead of mortgaging yet another of our precious few leadership opportunities, let’s talk about transforming NBP into a catayst that makes us a leader in power generation and environmental technologies; building this capability can give us a competitive advantage and drive our economy.

If you aren’t reporting what others are doing, how will your readers be able to compare how we in New Brunswick are doing?

They wont! Thats why its not reported. It would never do to have us little ole New Brunswickers getting ideas above our station now, would it? It could actually lead to us aspirting to better paid positions etc.

“Should we sell out to HG, you can bet that Quebec protectionism would wipe out all these successes and eliminate the opportunity to build on them.”

Which success are you talking about ? The fact NBP have by far the biggest debt within Power corporations in Canada or the fact they are polluting air with their backward Colsen-Cove ? Anyway… things wont change on that matter for sure… At least, please, you should buy the cheapest—and cleaner power provided by another Quebec protectionism corporation : Hydro-Quebec.